Comfort
by ariadne melody
Summary: S/E. Takes place right after the ending in 2x12  John's return .


Elena willed herself to not make a scene. Yelling or crying right now really wouldn't help things. Neither, she was sad to admit, would throwing something at Uncle John, much as she was tempted. Instead she leaned sullenly against the counter, tried to look stoic and cold.

"Why are you here?" she asked flatly.

"I might be able to help with the Originals," John replied, his tone just as flat and blank.

"Oh really? Great. Tell us how to kill them and leave."

"Elena-" Stefan spoke up besides her, his hand touching her shoulder as if to calm her. "Let's not-", but John interrupts him.

"Well I'll need a little more information before I can help you," he stated. "And I need to make sure you're protected, that you stay safe."

Elena laughs. "John the crowd. Step in line. It's covered, thanks."

"Your fucked-up deal with Elijah? That's not going to cut it for me."

Elena glared as she replied, "It works for me."

"It's going to get you killed."

"Maybe I don't really care-"

"Okay, enough," Stefan interrupts. "Look, this isn't helping. John, we'll talk in the morning. Elena-?"

"I'm tired," she stated. "I'm going to bed. Coming, Stefan?"

"Um, I'll be up in a minute," he said, noting how John's jaw had clenched.

Elena placed her hands on his face, gave him a very long kiss that he was pretty sure at least partly inspired by her desire to screw with John.

"Don't be long," she whispered into his ear.

They waited until they heard Elena's door close before they said anything.

"That went well," John remarked as he grabbed a bottle of wine.

Stefan really did not want to be in the kitchen with John at the moment, much less a drunken John. "Look, I know this is difficult for everyone, but-"

"Everyone in this house hates me," John announced.

"I figured that out," Stefan said. "I don't really think that's our main concern right now."

"My own family," John went on, gulping straight from the bottle. "And they all despise me."

"John, that's very sad, really, but I think-"

"Did you father love you, Stefan?"

"Well-"

"Mine didn't. Being the younger brother sucks, doesn't it?" John lounged in a chair.

"Okay, we'll talk tomorrow." Stefan started to back away from the kitchen.

"Stefan?" John called as he reached the stairs. "Did Elena mean that, about not caring if she died?"

Stefan had hoped that John hadn't picked up on that remark. "Elena thought... that if she gave herself up that the rest of us would be safe."

"Stupid," John said. "But... noble, I suppose. But you didn't answer my question."

Quietly, Stefan said, "She told me she wasn't thinking that way anymore. But... I don't know, really."

John nodded, continued nodding as he stared at the bottle. Taking that as his cue, Stefan darted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. On the landing he paused, automatically listening for strange, menacing sounds. It's normal thought: Jeremy snoring in his room while music plays, Jenna and Alaric sleeping as well. Only Elena's door still had a light underneath it. He opened the door, half expecting her to be asleep already. The bed was perfectly made, the window-seat was empty, and he panicked for a moment before he heard the sound of water in the bathroom followed by Elena quietly calling his name, telling him to come inside.

She was stretched out in the bathtub, eyes closed, hair matted down her back. As he stepped inside she pushed herself up, rested her head against the edge of the tub. Neither spoke for a moment, instead staring at each other- or gazing, as Elena preferred to call it.

"Is he still here?"

"In the kitchen," Stefan answered as he started to sink down onto the floor when Elena grabbed his hand and tugged on it. Quickly, he took off his clothes and climbed into the tub besides Elena, pulled her against him. Her body sank back against his and she closed her eyes again.

"What a day," she whispered.

Stefan begin untangling her hair. "I'm sorry about Rose."

She nodded, but didn't say anything. There wasn't really anything to say- Rose had suffered, horribly, and they couldn't save her. Watching her had been all the motivation (and more) that Elena needed to be sure that they shouldn't mess with the werewolves. She gripped one of Stefan's hands in her own, tried to breathe normally, grateful that he was there and alive and well. She didn't want to let go of him, ever.

After a while they were settled in Elena's room, Stefan watching as Elena pulled the curtains closed before she climbed into bed next to him. It was one of those nights where they would end completely intertwined, where in the morning they would be completely tangled together, just how they both liked it.

He waited for her to settle against him before he asked, "Did you mean it, what you said earlier- about not caring about your life?"

"We've talked about this," she sighed into his chest.

"Elena."

She was quiet for a long moment and when she spoke, she didn't look at him. "I... I think I wanted to scare him. Mostly. But- I do feel that all this is my fault. And I know," she hastened to say, as if sensing Stefan's protests, "that a lot of it isn't. But some of it is- don't argue. And if it's the only way to protect my family, to protect you, my friends- well, I have to consider it.

"But," she added when Stefan didn't say anything, " not tonight. I don't want to talk about it tonight. Got that?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Tonight," she said as she rolled over to rest on top of him, "is about us. I don't know about you, but we haven't spent nearly enough time together lately doing... fun things."

"Agree," Stefan murmured as he slid his hands beneath her tank top and greedily kissed her over and over again. They playfully wrestled, Stefan eventually on top as he pulled her shirt off.

"I almost hopes John hears us," Elena managed to get out and Stefan lifted his head from her stomach.

"Seriously? Elena, seriously, you're thinking about John right now? You are totally ruining the moment."

A sly smile was on her face. "Guess I'll have to make it up to you," she whispered as she flipped them over.

The rest of their clothing wound up thrown to the side or discarded in the blankets. He kisses her everywhere, she tangles her fingers in his hair as they come together. If Elena had thought that last night had been about making up for lost time, tonight was about the present, about living through the truly strange and fucked up events of their lives and surviving. More than just getting through their lives, but taking care of each other, loving each other.

Later, when Stefan rests his head on her breasts, almost too shy to look at here, Elena strokes his hair. She won't let him leave tonight. Okay, Damon probably shouldn't be alone right now, but Elena's feeling selfish. She needs to feel Stefan besides her, his body enveloping hers, his arms around her, gripping her tightly. Especially if her time is limited.

She hadn't really meant the words she'd spoken in the kitchen. She does care- dying at seventeen? Not exactly a pleasing thought. But if it meant saving everyone she loves, she would more than consider it. There's the deal, of course, with Elijah, but, well, she's trying not to dwell too much on that. So focusing on the present- help her friends as much as possible, keep Jeremy and Jenna safe, avoid John, and, well, love Stefan- those are what she should focus on. The last one was the easiest, the most appealing.

"What are you thinking about?" Stefan whispers into her ear as he begins to kiss her again.

She pulls his face so she can kiss his lips. "About how much I love you."

"I'll never get tired of hearing that," he says as his fingers begin to stroke her thighs again.

"I'll never get tired of saying it," she murmurs. "Ever."

Their dance begins again.


End file.
